The Ant, Little Is More.
It started when i was a kid, forever spending my time in the garden with all its creatures that inhabited it. i started to examine them up close and looking at there habits. This is where i found my passion in making them. The ant to me is the smallest but it showed me that together we are strong. This is the first of many other creatures i have made and it was a secret up and till now, now i want to show you.
I start by stripping old recycled copper wire from its plastic this is 1mm in diameter after the wire is stripped, i cut it into 300mm lengths. I then straiten the 300mm recycled copper wire to get out the kinks, i wet a brush with flux and apply it to the copper wire you will notice the copper turn shiny and will look cleaner. I use an industrial soldering unit with temp control, this is how i can set it on a low temp for sticky solder and a hot temp for a runny solder. i heat up the solder iron to its max and with a flat point i scoop up some solder and take the wire with pliers and place the soldering iron on top of the wire, i keep the soldering iron in the same place and pull the wire thru coating it with lead free solder.
i start by scooping up drop by drop with the soldering iron and place it on the wire in the 3 sections that ants have ( Place wire on a granite polished tile this is a good working surface ). the head is placed on with a single large drop of solder the middle part with a slightly bigger drop. the abdomen is done with 3 drops and is slightly offset from each other. i do this with the hole length of the 300mm wire and i usually get ten from the 300mm wire. when done from the top you should see it taking shape but because you have placed it on the granite tile the bottom should be flat, flip the wire to do the bottom and with a still max temp iron carefully do the same as the top. Note: Take your time because if it gets too hot it will fall of the wire.
after the bodies is done i flip the ants on their back and i cut from another lengths of 300mm five pieces of 10mm lengths. These are the legs and the feelers. With the legs i brush some flux on the middle section for every ant on the 300mm wire this will help the legs to melt into the body, this go's for the feelers too. ( Take your time )
Cut and separate the ants, bend the legs and feelers with a long nose pliers. Now its time to add the nippers and eyes, with the nippers cool down the iron so that the solder just able to melt this solder will be sticky, perfect for the nippers apply and pull the solder. Note: Do not use flux in this step it will then turn runny. heat the iron again to max to apply eyes.
i hope you enjoy my Instructable and you'll hear from me soon again with another.
I start by stripping old recycled copper wire from its plastic this is 1mm in diameter after the wire is stripped, i cut it into 300mm lengths. I then straiten the 300mm recycled copper wire to get out the kinks, i wet a brush with flux and apply it to the copper wire you will notice the copper turn shiny and will look cleaner. I use an industrial soldering unit with temp control, this is how i can set it on a low temp for sticky solder and a hot temp for a runny solder. i heat up the solder iron to its max and with a flat point i scoop up some solder and take the wire with pliers and place the soldering iron on top of the wire, i keep the soldering iron in the same place and pull the wire thru coating it with lead free solder.
i start by scooping up drop by drop with the soldering iron and place it on the wire in the 3 sections that ants have ( Place wire on a granite polished tile this is a good working surface ). the head is placed on with a single large drop of solder the middle part with a slightly bigger drop. the abdomen is done with 3 drops and is slightly offset from each other. i do this with the hole length of the 300mm wire and i usually get ten from the 300mm wire. when done from the top you should see it taking shape but because you have placed it on the granite tile the bottom should be flat, flip the wire to do the bottom and with a still max temp iron carefully do the same as the top. Note: Take your time because if it gets too hot it will fall of the wire.
after the bodies is done i flip the ants on their back and i cut from another lengths of 300mm five pieces of 10mm lengths. These are the legs and the feelers. With the legs i brush some flux on the middle section for every ant on the 300mm wire this will help the legs to melt into the body, this go's for the feelers too. ( Take your time )
Cut and separate the ants, bend the legs and feelers with a long nose pliers. Now its time to add the nippers and eyes, with the nippers cool down the iron so that the solder just able to melt this solder will be sticky, perfect for the nippers apply and pull the solder. Note: Do not use flux in this step it will then turn runny. heat the iron again to max to apply eyes.
i hope you enjoy my Instructable and you'll hear from me soon again with another.